Senate Sandy task force calls for working together

The state Senate’s bi-partisan (or, more accurately, tri-conference) task force on relief for victims of Superstorm Sandy has issued a preliminary report, recommending mold remediators be licensed, businesses be given direct grants and better equip first responders.

Actually, the recommendations on the last two pages of the 31-page document overlap with reports by three Cuomonian storm-relief commissions, and indeed with proposals advanced by Gov. Andrew Cuomo. Most of the report’s contents are minutes from hearings the task force held in various downstate communities.

The report does not recommend any specific legislative action, but Queens Sen. Malcolm Smith, a member of the Independent Democratic Conference, said the task force would “go down in the history of the Senate as one of the most significant task forces.” Sen. James Sanders, D-Queens, said it was “led by some of the most ablest people we have.”

“When Sandy struck, she didn’t care if you were a Republican or a Democrat,” Sanders said.

Indeed, other senators at the 45-minute press conference spoke of the need to work together with Cuomo and members of the Assembly to get some action.

“We didn’t want there to be competing and conflicting proposals,” said Sen. Andrew Lanza, R-Staten Island.